Dr. Stephanie Wolf says bathing your pet is not as simple as putting them in the tub, turning on the water and giving them a bath. In some cases, if you are lucky, then that’s terrific but in most cases there is a whole lot to consider before you get started.
Here are Dr. Wolf’s tips for bathing your pet.
Test the waters before you start on a Saturday afternoon project that you probably should have started Saturday morning. Put your animal in the tub or shower or whatever receptacle you are going to use to bathe your pet and see what the reaction is. This may also be a two-person job so you may want to have a second person helping you.
Put a little bit of water in the bottom of the receptacle and see what the reaction is. If everything seems good you passed a major hurtle.
Make sure you have a proper shampoo for your animal’s coat condition, your animal’s length of coat, and any sort of medical skin condition your animal may have. If you just need a gentle oatmeal shampoo that’s great; you can get started. Give your pet a nice gentle combing before you give him/her a bath. It will help with any tangles and with the drying process.
Make sure you always start with the neck and work your way back. Don’t spray your animals in the face with any water; use a washcloth. Protect their ears as well. If possible, use some cotton balls. If not, make sure you have an ear cleaner on hand that you can just wipe out their ears just in case you got any soap and water in their ears.
Make sure you have plenty of towels for the inevitable shake. If you use a dryer make sure it is a pet safe dryer. No hair dryers because they can get hot and burn your animal’s skin. Make sure your animal is completely dry before your done. It will help minimize any secondary skin issues. Remember this is not just a one-shot process. It may take weeks to work up to this level of expertise. Give them plenty of love. This can be very stressful. If all else fails, there is always the professional groomer.
Click here for the Niagara Frontier Veterinary Society
